1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic component supplying apparatus for conveying electronic components in an aligned state to supply the same at a predetermined taking-out position.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 6-232596 an apparatus provided with a belt for conveying chip components, a ratchet mechanism for intermittently moving the belt, a grooved cover for aligning the chip components on the belt, a stopper for stopping the chip components conveyed by the belt, and a stopper displacement mechanism for separating a leading chip component from the stopper after the belt movement stops.
The electronic components conveyed in an aligned state by the belt stop when a leading electronic component thereof abuts on the stopper. When the belt movement stops, the stopper is separated from the leading chip component and the leading chip component is taken out by a suction nozzle. The chip taken out by the suction nozzle is mounted on a substrate or the like.
In the apparatus, the stopper is displaced so as to be separated from the leading chip component after the belt movement is stopped. However, there is a drawback that, since the leading chip component is kept in contact with the second leading chip component, the leading chip component interferes with the second leading chip component to fail to be taken out when the leading chip component is taken out by the suction nozzle.
Specifically, when the leading chip component is lifted up by the suction nozzle in the state where the leading chip component is in contact with the second leading chip component, a similar lifting force acts on the second leading chip component to cause an inclination or flying-out of the second leading chip component, thereby preventing the subsequent chip components from being taken out. Also, a position deviation occurs in the electronic component absorbed by the suction nozzle, which results in reduction in position accuracy in component placement onto a substrate or the like.